The Poodle: A Most Royal and Warlike Animal

Moustache at Marengo

Edit: an old industrialist once known to the editor told the story of an American Water Spaniel who was his hunting companion.  He maintained that these were the best dogs for most purposes, especially hunting.  They are a kind of Poodle, mid-range in size, fairly high strung, extremely intelligent and loyal to their owners.  While he was hunting in a lowland area, he noticed some geese landing on the edge of the water ahead.  In order to get a better shot, he wanted to get closer to the edge of the water.  So, quietly and silently, he crawled through the tall grass.  He felt something at his boot behind him, and turned to see his faithful dog imitating him, making its way, low to the ground just like his master.

Poodles are used mostly as water dogs for hunting, but they're also excellent war dogs who accompanied the ancient Germans into Europe and even went on Crusade.  It's understandable that people would find comparison to this fine and noble animal, favorable.

Napoleon Bonaparte himself loved this breed.  It's easy to see why:

Known for fierce loyalty, fearlessness and intelligence, the war poodles were known to take part in battles on behalf of their regiments even without specific training for the task. In his memoirs Napoleon praised a poodle who died at the battle of Marengo, licking the face of his fallen Grenadier master. Another poodle named Buff accompanied Lt. Col.Chestmaster during the Peninsula War, while the poodle Moffino got sadly separated from his master while crossing the Berezina River in the Russian campaign. Moffino then traveled from Russia to Italy to find his corporal master, and they were gladly reunited.

One of Napoleon’s enemies, the Duc d’Enghein, took his poodle Mohiloff – a gift from the king of Sweden – with him to prison at the fortress of Vincennes. The dog stayed with his master even as he was shot at dawn and had to be forcibly removed from his grave. The commander of Vincennes adopted Mohiloff, and had him stuffed after he died. A poodle named Moustache became the mascot of a regiment of grenadiers whose standard the dog rescued from the battlefield at Austerlitz. He is also credited with detectiing an Austrian spy and saving a detachment of his company from a surprise attack.

From Poodle breed guide...

Photo also from Poodle Breed Guide.

First photo from, here.